UPDATED 10-23-09.

The goal of the PlayHaven Green Building Project is the creation of:

1. An existing residence renovation that incorporates many high efficiency, improved indoor air quality and sustainable material features. Plus the addition of renewable energy production and a successful, self-sufficient organic farm.
   
   
2. New construction of a complex that:
   • Is energy efficient, and meets ENERGY STAR and LEED® for Homes qualifications,
   • Uses renewable energy systems,
   • Combines new technology with recycled and reclaimed products,
   • Is designed to meet the needs of the homeowners, and,
   • Promotes a sustainable lifestyle.

The PHGB Project website is available so that any interested party can:

• Follow the progress of improvements and construction,
• Get information about the energy efficiency and green building techniques used,
• Find information about the products used, and
• Learn to incorporate these features into their next project.

Welcome to the PlayHaven Green Building Project website!

My name is Bobbi Walker (the Owner/Designer of Intuitive Design). I have spent the last 17+ years dreaming of the day when I would be able to build an earth-friendly home. When I first started researching the possibility, there was very little available to give me hope that it could ever be accomplished... unless I was willing to do it all myself.

Over the years, hope turned into optimism and optimism has turned into joy. Now, there are:

• architects who design sustainable, net-zero energy houses,
• builders who use energy efficient construction techniques,
• contractors who have networks to build sustainably,
• energy raters who make sure it is energy efficient and works the way it should,
• financial institutions who understand that this is more than a "niche" market,
• renewable energy products that are more affordable to the average homeowner,
• products made from reclaimed and recycled materials,
• and lots and lots of information on the internet (assuming you know what the questions are).

The PlayHaven Green Building Project is the culmination of those dreams. In addition to being our home, it will be so very much more than that!

It has always been my intention to make this a showcase of products and techniques that the average homeowner could show to their contractor or builder and say "see, that's what I want in my house."

And even better yet, an example that contractors and builders can show to their clients of what kind of energy efficiency and sustainable features can be incorporated into their projects.

And even further still, a place where many options and ways of doing things can be used in a single location to show what choices there are and comparisons can be made.

This all being said, the PlayHaven Green Building Project will be available (by appointment) for physical tours; both during construction and ever after. AND, this website will provide virtual tours for anyone interested in what we're doing but who are unable to make the trip to the Kansas City MO (U.S.A.) area.

October 21, 2009

Not much going on right now. The Astro Van just left on the tow-truck and I'm feeling a bit sad... had that van for 14 years and it hauled all of our dogs at one time or another, so it was like losing an old friend. On the bright side, the driver was thinking of people he knows that could use it... so hopefully it will help some other family for a bit longer; while bringing some money to Wayside Waifs to help animals in need.

I started the search for a plumber this week. We figure that considering how long everything takes in the world of remodeling/contracting... we better find the best company for our needs and get them booked for the spring. I see from my review of past entries that I didn't tell you the reason we want to update the plumbing. It is because the pipes in this house are polybutylene (which is a form of plastic resin that was used extensively between 1978 and 1995). This is not good piping! There were even class action lawsuits brought in the 1980s because of it.

We knew we would be updating the plumbing early in the renovation and have decided that it will be the next "big" thing. And, since we'll be needing a plumber, we're finding out which ones can also do the job of turning the cistern into a rainwater catchment/storage system that will feed the water into the house for showers and toilets. It will mean making sure the water doesn't "back-up" into the rural water system and also the ability to switch to rural water if the water in the cistern gets low.

Are you wondering what happened to fixing the insulation? Nothing yet. We had hoped to have enough money left after the roof to get it done this fall... but you know how it goes: sometimes funds earmarked for one project end up going to another. I'm hoping that we'll be able to do the insulation next, but the plumbing does worry me more than the insulation at this point. So who knows.

We had a pretty good year when it came to our harvest. There were only a few vegetables planted this year, but we ended up with:

• about 100 lbs of potatoes (among 4 organic varieties)
• enough organic roma tomatoes to make 4 big tubs of tomato and mozzarella salad
• about 25 lbs of onions (not organic... only because I didn't find any by the time I needed to plant them)
• 20 pie-size pumpkins (can't claim organic, but they come from seeds from an organic pumpkin 2 generations ago)
• about 2 lbs of edible pod peas (not a very good year for those)
• about 5 lbs of carrots

and I still need to dig up the sweet potatoes (organic)... hoping to get about 50 lbs (crossing fingers).

The eggplants didn't do anything... hardly even got plants. And the radishes bolted ... but I see there are a few plants out there now, maybe they seeded themselves for a fall crop. The peas did SO poorly, I did get a few but had to save them for seed for next year.

Such is the life of working the soil. Farming is the hardest job ever! And we don't even have livestock yet. Ah well, we learn as we go.

Right now we are storing our harvest in the basement, but it isn't quite as cold down there as I'd like for storing vegetables... so we may be building a wall down there so we can create a "cool room" (like a cellar) that is not part of the conditioned space.

Check back to find out the progress of our efforts.